Domestic walk-in cooler



Oct. 7, 1969 H. J. HALL 3,470,705

DOMESTIC WALK-IN COOLER Filed Nov. 5, 1967 30 /a5 gg kas Z/'A/RY u. l/4LL INVENTOR. 19

ATTORNEY- United States Patent Ofi ice 3,410,705 Patented Get. 7, 1969 3,470,705 DOMESTIC WALK-IN COOLER Henry J. Hall, 25210 Circle Drive, Southfield, Mich. 48075 Filed Nov. 3, 1967, Ser. No. 680,456 Int. Cl. F251) 49/00, 27/00; A47b 47/04 US. Cl. 62-125 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This application discloses, an inexpensive, portable, knockdown, walk-in cooler, for use in a basement, or other area, having a consistent ambient. The invention resides in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, which, when operated in a consistent ambient, will provide the home owner, with a walk-in storage facility of great utility.

This invention relates to refrigeration and the storage of perishable commodities, canned goods, clothing, furs, flowers, etc., over a comparatively long period of time, without freezing.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a portable, knockdown, walk-in cooler for domestic use, which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and efficient in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated, which may be readily assembled and disassembled, and reassembled, without the necessity of special tools, so that the owner may transport it to a new abode in the event of moving.

Another object of the invention is to provide a walk-in cooler, which will take the place of the conventional fruit cellar.

Another object of the invention, is to provide a refrigerating device, which is constructed and arranged for use only in a consistent ambient, such as found in a basement, or other subterranean area.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated, which is constructed and arranged to provide a walk-in, refrigerated area, with an operating temperature well above freezing, so that the owner may store a substatnial quantity of perishable commodities, and have them readily available at all times.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds, reference being made from time to time to the accompanying drawing, forming part of the within disclosure, in which drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a device embodying the invention, with the front door open.

FIG. 2 is a left side elevational view of the device shown in FIG. 1, with parts broken away to show the relation of other parts, and schematically illustrating the refrigeration elements employed.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, and illustrating the shape of the shelves.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail, in section, showing the construction of a typical wall of the box.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the electric circuits employed in the device.

I am aware of the existence of commercial walk-in coolers, but to my knowledge, no one has ever provided an inexpensive, knockdown, portable, cooler, particularly intended for domestic use, in a consistent ambient, such as found in the basement of a residential dwelling.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will be understood that in the embodiment herein disclosed, the reference character 7 indicates, in general, the walk-in box embodying the invention.

The box 7 is a complete enclosure, consisting of front panel 8, rear panel 9, side panels 10 and 11, top panel 12, and bottom panel 13.

The front panel 8 has a cut out 14, of suflicient size to permit a human being to walk-in. The cut out 14 is covered by means of a hinged door 15, which in turn is provided with a locking mechanism 16. The door 15 and joints between the panels are preferably provided with suitable gaskets to provide an air seal.

The interior of the box 7 is provided with a plurality of shelves 17, which are comparatively narrow in front, and comparatively wide at the back, as shown in FIG. 3, in order to provide maximum storage space on the interior of the box 7, at the same time providing ample room for an individual to walk into the box and move around therein conveniently.

Each of the panels, comprising front, back, sides, top and bottom, is preferably constructed of two sheets of plywood 18 and 19 (FIG. 4), between which is positioned a sheet of plastic 20, or other suitable material, to provide a moisture barrier and insulation.

Each of the side panels, except the front panel 8, is provided on the outside (FIG. 4) with a framework consisting of longitudinal members 21, 22, and 23, and cross members 24, which are secured to the panels by means of aluminum nails, screws, or the like, as shown at 25 (FIG. 4). The layers comprising each panel are preferably secured to one another by means of aluminum nails or screws 26.

In constructing the box, the front and rear panels 8 and 9 are preferably secured to the vertical frame members of the side panels, and the top and bottom panels 12 and 13 respectively, are preferably secured to the cross frame members 24- of the side panels, as shown in FIG. 1.

The bottom panel 13 is provided with a plurality of two-by-fours 27, which serve as skids for the device, and means to space the bottom of the box from the floor, and to provide an air space between the floor and the bottom of the box for purposes of insulation.

Positioned on the interior of the box 7 is an evaporator coil 28 and a blower motor 20, which drives a blower fan 30, in order to circulate cold air throughout the box.

The coil 28, motor 29, and fan 30, are preferably covered by a housing 31, which has a condensate collector at the bottom, as at 32, which collector 32 is connected by a pipe 33, which extends through the rear panel 9 of the box and terminates in spaced relation to a pan 34- (FIG' 2) positioned on top of the condensing unit 35 (FIG. 2), which is positioned on the exterior of the box, as shown in FIG. 2.

The condensing unit 35 includes a conventional motor compressor 36, a condenser coil 37, and a motor driven condenser fan assembly 3% (FIGS. 2 and 5).

The motor compressor 36 and the condenser coil 37 are connected to the evaporator 28, positioned inside the box, by means of the liquid line 39 and suction gas line 40, as in conventional refrigeration practice.

The interior of the box 7 is provided with an electric light 41 (FIGS. 2 and 5), which is actuated by means of a switch 42 (FIG. 5), which in turn is actuated by the opening and closing of the door 15.

The typical electric circuits for the box are illustrated in FIG. 5, wherein the reference characters 43 indicates an electrical plug, by which the device may be connected to a source of domestic electricity.

Positioned in the main electrical circuit (FIG. 5) is a double pole thermostatic switch 44, which is connected as at 45, to a control bulb 46 positioned on the interior of the box. The control bulb 46 is a safety device and is intended to out off all flow of electricity to the interior of the box and to the refrigeration elements located inside and outside of the box, in the event that the temperature on the inside of the box should go above 65 Fahrenheit, or such other maximum temperature as is deemed expedient on the interior of the box 7.

Also located on the exterior of the box 7 is a junction box 47 (FIG. 5), which connects the main circuit to the condensing circuit 49. Also located in the condensing circuit 49, on the exterior of the box 7, is a single pole switch 58, so that the condensing circuit 49 may be manually controlled. On the interior of the box 7 is a double plug outlet 51, one side of which makes a circuit 5'2 through the light 41 and switch 42. The other side of which makes a circuit 53 through the evaporator blower motor 29.

A thermometer 55 is positioned in the front wall 8 of the box and has an element extending to the interior of the box for indicating the interior temperautre of the box.

It is believed that the operation of the device is obvious from the foregoing description. It is obvious that the cost of construction of such a device would be nominal and well Within the budget of a householder.

It is also obvious that the cost of operating such a device would be very low, in view of the fact that the enclosure would not be opened very often, and because of the relatively consistent ambient in which it is used, there would be very little operating time required of the refrigeration mechanism.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have disclosed a novel, inexpensive, portable, knockdown, walk-in, cooler, for use in a basement, subterranean area, or other location having a consistent ambient.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A portable, knockdown, wall -in, air tight, refrigerated enclosure, for use in a relatively consistent ambient, such as found in the basement of a dwelling, the interior of the enclosure being provided with a plurality of storage shelves which are comparatively narrow at the front and wide at the back, said enclosure has an evaporator coil and blower fan positioned on the inside rear wall near the top of said enclosure, a condensing unit located on the exterior of said enclosure, electrical circuits for operating said blower and condensing unit, and a control bulb on the interior of said enclosure connected to a thermostatic switch on the exterior of said housing for cutting off said electrical circuits, a thermometer or the exterior of said enclosure, with means communicating with the interior of said enclosure for indicating the interior temperature of said enclosure, said enclosure being constructed of a plurality of laminated panels, certain of which are each provided with an external frame work for removably supporting adjacent panels, the bottom of said enclosure being a laminated panel, provided with elongated spaced members, which serve as sldds for the enclosure and means to space the enclosure from a floor, the front panel of said enclosure being provided with a cut out of suflicient size to permit the entrance of a human being, a hinged door for covering said out out and means responsive to the opening and closing of said door for illuminating the interior of said enclosure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,012,559 8/1935 Friedrich 62290 2,526,063 10/1950 Booth 62186 2,535,682 12/1950 Jones 62443 2,601,634 6/1952 RiVette 62-443 3,252,258 5/1966 Blickman 52-204 MEYER PERLIN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 62326, 440; 312257 

